The invention refers to a partial cutting machine comprising a universally swivellable cutting arm having rotatably supported on its free end at least one cutting head. It is an object of the invention to remove with such a cutting machine the cut material by means of simple equipment immediately from the drift face and the invention essentially consists in that at both sides of the cutting arm there is connected with the cutting arm a backwardly conveying screw conveyor having its front end located within the area of the cutting head. In view of the screw conveyors being laterally arranged on the cutting arm, one screw is, on account of the horizontal movement of the cutting arm, forced into the heap of debris which is backwardly conveyed by the screw conveyor away from the mine face. The arrangement according to the invention is particularly suitable for a drift advancing process in which first a calotte or dome is cut and then a step underneath is cut after having cut the calotte or vault overhead the step. When cutting the calotte, there is formed a step onto which falls the heap of debris and from which the heap of debris is backwardly conveyed by the screw conveyors for removal in the usual manner from the drift floor. The screw conveyors provide, however, also advantages when cutting the full drift cross section or when cutting step remaining after having cut the dome above the step. In each case it is possible to convey the heap of debris in a backward direction by means of the screw conveyors. The invention provides the advantage that operation need not be interrupted, because the screw conveyors are, on account of the lateral advancing movement of the cutting arm, forced into the heap of debris and, thus, convey the heap of debris in a backward direction during the cutting operation.